Valve



Dec. 3, 1929. c, FERNALD' 1,738,236

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Patented Dec. 3, 1929 CHARLES F. FERNALD, OF WESTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BARNES &; JONES, A GOPARTITERSE-IIP CONSIS'IING F WALTER E. BARNES, OF WELLESLEY, MASSA- CHUSETTS, AND WILLIAM T. JONES, OF NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS VALVE Application filed September 17, 1928.

This invention relates to automatic valves for controlling fluids under pressure, and pertains more particularly to improvements in the construction of thermostatic valves adapted automatically to regulate the flow of fluids subject to temperature or pressure variations, such as the valves of a steam radiator.

Automatic valves of this type comprise an actuating element responsive to pressure or temperature variations, and, in the class of steam valves herein described, this element usually consists of one or more expansible metallic cells, bellows or the like, which carry the valve proper and which are detachably connected to the valve casing. Such valves are customarily designed to respond to a very definite condition of temperature or pressure, and are carefully and accurately adjusted by the manufacturer before shipment.

1f the assembled valve is readily subject to adjustment, there is a strong likelihood that the person who installs the valve, or the user of the valve at some time in its period of use, will attempt, without adequate knowledge or experience, to adjust the valve parts, with the results that the valve will fail to function properly and that the manufacturer will be unjustly held responsible for making and selling an unsatisfactory device.

so It is accordingly the principal object of the present invention to provide a valve of the class described having a valve-carrying actuating element which may be readily and securely attached to or removed from the valve casing, but which after installation has no obvious or easily approachable means of adjustment, so that it offers no temptation to the inexperienced person to tamper with it. Another object of the invention is to provide simple and economical means for attaching the assembled actuating element to the valve casing, so constructed and arranged that said element may be quickly and easily snapped into or out of its fixed adjustment with respect to the casing and the valve port.

Recommended embodiments of the inven tion, designed particularly for use in connection with the trap or outlet of a steam radiator, are shown for the purpose of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Serial No. 306,336.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an outlet valve embodying the aforesaid improvement;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modilied structure;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the assembled actuating element shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4- is a detail plan view of a spring ring forming part of the snap attachment.

The improved valve preferably comprises the usual casing 6 which may be of cast bronze or other suitable material having the inlet connection 7 and the outlet connection 8; a removable fluid-tight cover 9 having screwthreaded engagement at 10 with casing 6, thereby providing a chamber 11 communicating with the inlet 7, and, through a valve port 12 having seat 13, with the outlet 8; an automatic actuating or controlling elementconsisting, for example, ofone 01' more expansible metal cells 14, and carrying the valve 15 properly shaped to cooperate with valve seat 13 to close the port 12; and means for attaching the actuating element to and suspending it from the casing cover 9 in operative relationship.

As the principal features of this invention reside in the construction and arrangement of the said attaching means, the precise construction of the controlling element is not essential. Any customary type of automatic valve controlling device may be employed, and the valve-carrying thermostatic member comprising the circular expansible cells 14 adapted to contain an expansible or volatile fluid such as alcohol and having customary intercommunicating passages (not shown), is illustrated merely as a suitable actuating element for the purpose. The operation of such a device is Well understood; the cells 14 expanding or contracting by reason of temperature variations affecting their fluid contents, whereby the valve 15 is moved toward or from the valve seat 13 of port 12.

In order detachably to connect the valve actuator to the cover in such manner that axial adjustment or movement of the parts after attachment is effectively prevented, a knob or stud 16 is rigidly connected to the actuating element and is adapted to fit within a recess;

or socket formed in the cover and to be retamed therein by means of a cooperating resilient locking member, such as a resilient split ring 17. The knob 16 may be rigidly attached to the actuating element by'threading it tightly upon an upstanding spindle 18 forming part of said element and securing it if necessary by suitable means such as a lock washer. or through pin (not shown).

The socket for receiving the knob or post 16 and the locking member for resiliently retaining the knob within the socket may take various forms. In the structure illustrated the socket 19 is forme'd'in'the cover 9 by providing a tight fitting annulus onretaining receive the snap ring 17,.which may be sprung 'lIltO the recess through the bore of r ng 20, and looselyrtohold the ring 111 proper position with respect to the inserted knob 16.

In the modified structure ofl ig. 2, the normal bore of the. retaining ring 22 is larger than thatof ringQO and haS an inwardly directed radialffiange23 at its outer end. The

split ring may accordingly be slipped into tl e bore of the ring 22 to rest upon flange 23, without compressing the ring'17 and possibly affecting its resiliency. Aspacer ring 2%, fitting in' the bore of ring 22 and abutting the inner wall of the cover, is furnished to provide the annular socket 25 for positioning snap ring 17. v

Suitable means are provided for limiting the movement of the plug into thesocket and the plug is so shaped as to be-engaged by the snap ring so that it will beheld in'fixedposit-ion within-the socket. Thus the plug has an outwardly directed annular. flange '26 at its base adapted to abut-the outer radial "face of the retaining ring, and the plug is preterably tapered as indicated at27 so that 1t s larger at its outer end than at its flanged base.

Accordingly when'theplug is forced into the socket through the split ring to its limit of movement,'the resilience of said ring removably secures the parts together;

'Ineither of the aforesaid constructions the ball knob ofthe actuating element may be attached to the cover by snapping it into the cover socket with a single motion, and .when so attached the position of the actuating element with respect to the cover and the valve port is fixed in adjusted relationship. There isno screW-threaded or other adjustable connection betweenthe actuating element and the valve casing. The controlling element may be readily detached from the coverjby pulling theplug from its socket.

The assembled actuating element may ac cordingly be interchanged for anew unit at any time without affecting the adjusted relation of the parts.

hen used in connection with the outlet of a steam radiator, the inlet 7 oi the valve casing is attached to the outlet of the radiator, and the outlet 8 is connected to the return pipe. Before steam is turned on, the actuating element and its rigidly connected valve 15 occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cells 14- being contracted and thereby holding the valve 15 off its seat 13. The steam is then free to flow through the radiator, through the inlet connection 7 into the chamber 11, and thence outwardly through the port 12 and outlet 8. When the radiator has become heated so that hot steam enters the chamber 11, the expansiblo fluid within the cells 14 is warmed and expands, thus expanding the cells 1 1- and forcing the valve .15 against seat 16, closing the passage 12. The flow of steam through the radiator is then temporarily cut off, and the valve 15 remains closed until water of condensation or air has collected in the chamber 11 suiliciently to cool the cells 14., whereupon they again contract, opening the valve 15 and allowing the water of condensation and entrapped air to escape, and hence permitting a fresh quantity of steam to enter the radiator.

The proper adjustment of the valve is atfectcd by regulation of the actuating element before assemblage, so that the relative dispositions of the valve parts after the actuating element is snapped into position in the cover socket is fixed and there is no occasion for adjustment during installation or use. If the valve should fail properly to function at any time during use, a new assembled and adjusted unit may be exchanged as aforesaid.

A valve constructed in the manner above described is economical to manufacture, easy to install or replace, durable and ellicient in use, and substantially fool-proof. Such a valve is adapted to a variety of uses and it will be understood that details of structure may be .varied for particular purposes without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the following claims.

. I claim:

1. A valve of the class described comprising a normally fixed support, a valve actuator and means providing snap socket connections between the support and actuator, thereby forming a separable but non-adjustable connection between said parts.

2. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but romovable cover, a valve actuator within the casing and means comprising a split snap ring for removably attaching the actuator to the cover.

3. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but rc- -movable cover provided with a socket, a valve actuator within the casing, a supporting knob on the actuator adapted to enter the socket in the cover and resilient means for releasably retaining the knob in the socket.

4. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but removable cover provided With a socket, said socket having an annular recess in its well, a valve actuator in the casing, a knob secured to the actuator, said knob being adapted to enter the socket in the cover, and a resilient snap ring Within said recess adapted releasably to retain the knob Within the socket.

5. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but removable cover provided With a socket, said socket having an annular recess in its Wall, a valve actuator in the casing, a tapering knob fixed to said actuator, said knob being larger at its outer end and being adapted to enter the socket in the cover, and spring means in said recess for retaining the knob in the socket.

6, A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but removable cover provided With a socket, said socket having an annular recess in its Wall, a valve actuator in the casing, a knob adapted to enter the socket, means to limit movement of the knob into the socket, and a split resilient ring within the recess for holding the knob in the socket.

7. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but removable cover provided with a socket, said socket having an annular recess in its wall, a valve actuator in the casing, a knob adapted to enter the socket, said knob having an outwardly directed base flange adapted to limit its movement into the socket, and a split resilient ring Within the recess for holding the knob in the socket.

8. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a normally fixed but removable cover, means defining a socket at the inner side oi the cover, said means comprising an annulus having threaded engagement with the cover, said annulus having an inwardly directed radial flange, a spacer ring Within the annulus, said ring being spaced from the flange to provide an annular recess, a valve actuator, a knob secured to the actuator adapted to enter said socket, and a split ring Within said annular recess for releasably retaining the knob in the socket.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this eleventh day of September 1928.

CHARLES F. FERNALD. 

